Sarcopenia and frailty diagnosis, management, and treatment in older patients with long term conditions (heart failure, diabetes, stroke, CKD)

Sarcopenia, a serious geriatric syndrome with loss of skeletal muscle mass, plus low muscle strength, and/or low physical performance, is a public health concern facing aging societies. Mounting evidence shows that sarcopenia is strongly associated with multiple adverse outcomes, such as falls, frailty, mortality and increasing healthcare utilization and higher risk for heart failure, diabetes, stroke, CKD.

Aim:

The primary aim of this PhD project is to investigate the mechanism and intervention target for sarcopenia, frailty especially in people with long term conditions.

Objectives

1-     Investigating the novel intervention strategy including nutrition, physical activity, exercise to reduce the burden of sarcopenia and frailty for patients with long term condition, and multimorbidity.

2-      Sarcopenia complication n patient with stroke, and heart failure.

3-     Application of metabolomics towards diagnosis and prognosis of frailty and sarcopenia in collaboration with centre for Metabolomic Research, University of Liverpool.

Method

The PhD project includes a diverse method which will be finalized according to applicant interests and expertise, including data analysis using large cohort data (e.g., the UK Bio Bank), designing clinical study in collaboration with local hospital and primary care, and laboratory metabolomics experiments. 

PhD training:

All postgraduate students undertake the PGR Development Programme which aims to enhance their skills for a successful research experience and career. They are required to maintain an online record of their progress and record their personal and professional development throughout their research degree. In addition to monthly supervision meetings, The Liverpool Centre for Cardiovascular Science holds monthly group research meetings where students are given opportunities to present their research. The PhD student will receive training from clinical and academic experts in appropriate methodologies, including conducting systematic reviews, data analysis, academic writing, and applying for ethics approval to conduct clinical research. The Institute of Life Course and Medical Science is fully committed to promoting gender equality in all activities. In recruitment we emphasize the supportive nature of the working environment and the flexible family support that the University provides. The Institute holds a silver Athena SWAN award in recognition of on-going commitment to ensuring that the Athena SWAN principles are embedded in its activities and strategic initiatives. 

Supervisory team

The supervisory team consists of multi-disciplinary experts in epidemiology, data analysis, metabolomic and supporting patients with sarcopenia, frailty, and cardiovascular conditions. Embedded within the Institute of Life Course and Medical Science, Liverpool Centre for Cardiovascular Science and Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology. This project encompasses a multidisciplinary collaboration.

This project is offered to self-funded PhD candidates with a background in epidemiology, health science or data science related to healthcare data with interest in sarcopenia, cardiovascular diseases, metabolomic. Experience of large datasets, statistical analysis, designing clinical study would be highly desirable. A BSc/MSc/MRes in data science, biology, or related fields, or a health-related subject is required. 

Enquiries to: Dr Masoud Isanejad ([Email Address Removed])

To apply: please send your CV and a covering letter to Dr Masoud Isanejad ([Email Address Removed]) with a copy to [Email Address Removed]